Something About that Girl in the Booth
by Michaela Will
Summary: A funny little what if... It's been a quiet summer at the Arcade without Usagi around. So why is Motoki harrassing Mamoru about that girl in the far booth? Written in 24 hrs a loong time ago.


Something About That Girl in the Booth

by Michaela Wills

Mamoru sighed as he watched the activity inside the arcade. Summer was supposed to be fun, but the only thing good about it that he could find was that it was almost over.

Looking over his shoulder, Mamoru gazed over the girls and boys scattered throughout the building, not at all surprised to see Hino Rei, Mizuno Ami, Kino Makoto and Aino Minako. They had been visiting the arcade around this hour almost daily, as he had.

"Force of habit." He grumbled under his breath. Usually he wouldn't have bothered, since it had only been two things that coerced him into creating such a habit. The first Motoki, who was here, and the second was Tsukino Usagi, who was not.

She hadn't been around all summer, she was out of the country visiting relatives elsewhere without her parents, and that made things very boring for him. He'd been surprised after a week without her appearance at the arcade and finally had asked about it. She was on the Asian mainland somewhere, probably having a wonderful time too. It was to his surprise that he was pulled out of his reverie by some rather loud noise pollution come from the small gathering of girls near the Sailor V game.

"Yes! I win, I win! Take that, pyro!" Minako cheered as she stepped away from the machine. The screen was blinking with a bunch of varying signals that stated Mina's triumph over the last high score, making her the new champion.

"Pay up, Rei-chan, Mako-chan! Come on, cough it up!" she proclaimed, making a big show of stretching out her hand for her earnings.

"No way! You cheated! You have to have!" Rei argued, withholding her money stubbornly. Mamoru slipped over to see if his hunch about the situation was right . . .

Yup.

1. Aino M - 76,291 pts 2. Hino R - 76,290 pts

The arguing began to escalate to the point where no one could hear the chipper bells ringing when people passed through the arcade doors. Scared for his eardrums, Motoki couldn't be convinced anywhere near the screaming opponents. And that was a problem, since over the summer, the frequenters of the arcade had quickly learned he was the only one who could force them to stop. After all, this was no longer a new show, but one that had been going on all summer between the two girls lovingly referred to as "The Pyro" and "The Blond".

Makoto suddenly tapped the two girls on the shoulder.

"Uhhhh . . . minna"  
"Mako-chan, not now"  
"Really! As I was saying . . "  
"No, you're so wrong"  
"No, I won fair and . . "  
"Yeah right, that's like saying Usagi-chan doesn't like to eat!"

"Uhhh . . . minna"  
"WHAT"  
"WHAT!"

The two yelling girls turned on Makoto suddenly, blood in their eyes that almost scared the taller girl. In an almost meek fashion, she jerked her thumb at the screen. It was the champions screen alright, but with some minor adjustments.

1. Mizuno A - 103,587 pts 2. Aino M - 76,291 pts 3. Hino R - 76,290 pts

Motoki took the silence that ensued to creep over and check out the current standings. Two jaws hung slack as Mako watch in mute fascination. Ami simply stood beside the machine, nose buried in a book again. Motoki cracked up immediately at the situation, waving Mamoru over to take a look. After examining the screen for a moment, he too cracked up to the point where both were near rolling on the floor in laughter. Ami only smiled sweetly at her friends over the rim of the book.

It took about ten minutes before the other three girls grudgingly paid Ami off and serenity reigned over the arcade again.

Or so they thought . . .

The bells jingled merrily as a young girl entered and took a booth next to Usagi's friends. Sunglasses hid her eyes, but that was about all of her good looks that were hidden. Sandals and a pair of short cutoff jeans accentuated her legs as a lavender tank top and matching jacket set off her slender build. Most striking was probably the crop of short blond hair. It was shorter than even Ami's and layered to give the girl a very becoming effect, accented with a pair of violet clips.

It took only another ten minutes before most of the guys around the arcade were slyly peeking at the girl in hopes of catching her eye. Not that they could tell if they had or not. She still wore the dark sunglasses. Motoki returned to her booth a few minutes after his first visit, giving her the strawberry shake without another thought. They exchanged a few hushed words as half the arcade looked on before Motoki walked away. Shaking his head in awe he moved over to Mamoru.

"Does she seem familiar to you? I could have sworn I've seen her 'round here sometime before."

Mamoru nodded. "Yeah, there's just something about that girl. I can't put my finger on it."

For a half a second, Mamoru could have sworn he saw a wolfish grin on Motoki's face. But if it had even appeared at all, it was far too fleeting for Mamoru to confirm what he thought he'd seen.  
"She's one for a second look, if nothing else." he continued, oblivous to the look of incredulaity Motoki gave him.

"Really!" Mamoru raised his eyebrow to his friend as if to question his judgement.

"Of course. Did you even look at those legs!" He gave a low whistle of appreciation to prove his point. This time it was Motoki who raised his eyebrows at the latter.

"Are you okay? Is this possible? The great Mamoru-kun actually noticing a girl? I think we better call in the paramedics, you're likely to pass out any moment." Motoki crowed, his amusement obvious. Mamoru gave him a cross look before setting back to read his newspaper again.

"Last time I talk to you about this stuff!" He grumbled under his breath as Motoki pulled himself back into control.

"I'm sorry, really! I didn't mean it." the ebony haired man shot him a dark look. Motoki backed off a step, hands up in a gesture of peace as he milled for a few minutes. Watching him take off, Mamoru settled back into reading contentedly. It didn't take long for him to return to his love-lorn friend. This was too good an opportunity to pass.

"I dare you, Mamoru-kun!" He said evilly, poking his buddy's arm as he spoke. The other dropped the paper, looking at the arcade boy strangely.

"What?"

"I dare you. I dare you to just go over there and kiss her. One good kiss on the lips." Motoki crossed his arms in a smug fashion. "You'd never pull it off."

Mamoru narrowed his eyes, what was with him today? "I don't think so . . ." He said slowly.

"Awww! Come on! I double dare you! You want to so you're just a chicken if you don't!" Mamoru eyed him, sizing him up. Motoki took the gaze, one eyebrow cocked knowingly, arms still crossed. Switching tatics, he tried the one most likely to elict a response. "But I do know the one girl you would kiss. Shall I share?"

Mamoru's gaze tightened. Blackmail. Motoki couldn't know . . . could he? No, but if he backed out and didn't take this dare, then Motoki would know that he was right. And then he'd never hear the end of it. The evil little . . . Mamoru's temper began to rise as he stood up and began to stride purposefully towards the far booth and the petit blond, keeping Motoki in the corner of his eye the whole time.

Motoki grinned. He knew just how to goad his best friend into anything.

Mamoru stood next to the booth for a moment, waiting for the girl to notice him. She sat there, staring out the window while contently drinking her shake. In the time it took for her to return from her dreamland, most of the arcade was eyeing the pair cautiously. Including the four girls one booth over who had been discussing the egmatic Tuxedo Kamen moments ago.

She looked up at Mamoru calmly as he stood over her. Opening her mouth as if to speak, Mamoru took his chance. Bracing his hands against the edge of the table and the back of the booth he swiftly leaned over and captured her lips with his own. He noted that she didn't move an inch as he kissed her, the only action was that of her hands tightening over her glass and the stiff manner in which she held herself. Yet it was the fact that she felt so familiar that caused him to draw out the touch. It was meant to be only a callous brush, but Mamoru found himself drawing it slightly longer than he'd planned, pulling away from her slowly. He could taste the slight touch of strawberry from her lips.

He was almost certain that if her sunglasses hadn't hidden her eyes, they would be open wide in shock like the rest of the arcade, Motoki and Rei-tachi included. Yet she seemed to regain her composure remarkably quickly.

"It's nice to see you too, Mamoru-san." she said with a smile.

Wait a minute, wait a minute! He knew that voice! It wasn't always that pleasant when in referrence to him, but still . . .

"Odango!" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he croaked out the nick name. It couldn't be! She had short hair! Not just short, really really short hair. She took off her sunglasses.

Mamoru hung onto the back of the booth for dear life. He felt extremely faint. Odango cut her hair . . . he kissed her . . . HE KISSED ODANGO!

Five jaws hit the floor, Mamoru's, Rei's, Ami's, Mina's and Makoto's.  
Motoki laughed so hard at the reaction of his friend, who was gasping for air, that he was literally on the arcade floor gripping his sides.  
Usagi primly took a finger and shut Mamoru's mouth.

"Really late in the season for catching flies, Mamoru-san. You should wait until mid summer to be trying that."

She stood up, smiling brightly in satisfaction. This was obviously a better reaction than she'd hoped for. "Hey minna!" She greeted the other girls.

"Yo-your hair Usagi-chan!" Mina stuttered out woefully. Usagi patted the short cropped layers lovingly.

"Ya like? I decided I was ready for a change. My aunt is the greatest hairdresser, she knew just how to cut it right!" Usagi smiled brightly, but suddenly caught a glance of Ami's watch. Piqued by something, she looked down on her own.

"Whoops! Gomen minna! I gotta buzz, see ya!" With a little wave and the chiming bells to announce her departure she took off. Motoki stood off the floor and gradually made his way over to his friend, who had collasped into the booth in shock.

"Ya know, I think I'd have to agree with you. Great legs"  
Mamoru only gave him half of a dark look, still too much in a daze to manage a whole one.

---

Authors Notes and Disclaimer

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters and all rights belong to the original author (Takeuchi Naoko) for her magna and various other companies for their renditions and products. I'm only using these characters for the enjoyment of other fans and don't mean to infringe on any copyrights, ect. I don't mean any ill will on the charcters or their owners.

Notes: Okay, this was a fun little 24 hr piece that I started and finished very quickly. A vintagette if you like. I wrote it mostly for laughs and for the whole hair thing. I mean, no one ever changes Usagi's hair, but what an extreme reaction it would pull! It was too good an idea not to try. Hope you laughed a little.  
-Michaela


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